Stevenson article

[snoscythe]

BYU football is not getting better. At best, we've plateaued and it isn't a very high plateau. Using the last 5 years as a barometer, Bronco does not appear to be the one to get us to a higher plateau.

I disagree.

I think Bronco made huge upgrades to our offense with Anae coming back in place of Doman. Look at what Anae is accomplishing in the last few games with Christian Stewart, Paul Lasike, Jordan Leslie and Algernon Brown compared to what Doman was accomplishing with Riley Nelson/Taysom Hill/James Lark (all more highly touted out of HS than Stewart), Jamaal Williams, and Cody Hoffman in his last season here. I think the offense is trending upward, especially as the offensive line continues to improve as personnel and depth are upgraded over what Doman left behind.

Defense is an absolute disappointment this year, no doubt. However, I think anyone who thought that (a) there wouldn't be growing pains for a first-time-ever DC is/was delusional; or (b) that Bronco is going to fire his first-time-ever DC in the middle of the first season, especially given the litany of injuries this year, is also delusional. While I won't rule out a demotion after the end of the season, I think it's unlikely. I think Howell is on a two-year leash to see if he can settle in. Personally, I think Howell's shortcoming is that he hasn't been able to coach the secondary as well as he needs to if he is going to retain them as his position group. If he can find that balance, I think he shows promise as a DC.

So, I see the offense as trending better, and the jury is out on whether the defense is going to be worse over the long-term or if Howell can figure it out. If anything, Bronco has demonstrated in the past the willingness to step back in and reassert himself in the defense if he loses confidence in his DC.

I think BYU is improving, and I think it's overreacting to disappointment in seeing a possible, but unlikely undefeated season fall victim to injuries and a struggling DC/secondary coach when people say BYU has flat-lined. I would have agreed with that under the Bronco/Doman heading, but I think it's too early to be calling it quits on the Bronco/Anae/Howell iteration of the Cougars.

[mizzoucoug]

BYU football is not getting better. At best, we've plateaued and it isn't a very high plateau. Using the last 5 years as a barometer, Bronco does not appear to be the one to get us to a higher plateau.

I disagree.

I think Bronco made huge upgrades to our offense with Anae coming back in place of Doman. Look at what Anae is accomplishing in the last few games with Christian Stewart, Paul Lasike, Jordan Leslie and Algernon Brown compared to what Doman was accomplishing with Riley Nelson/Taysom Hill/James Lark (all more highly touted out of HS than Stewart), Jamaal Williams, and Cody Hoffman in his last season here. I think the offense is trending upward, especially as the offensive line continues to improve as personnel and depth are upgraded over what Doman left behind.

Defense is an absolute disappointment this year, no doubt. However, I think anyone who thought that (a) there wouldn't be growing pains for a first-time-ever DC is/was delusional; or (b) that Bronco is going to fire his first-time-ever DC in the middle of the first season, especially given the litany of injuries this year, is also delusional. While I won't rule out a demotion after the end of the season, I think it's unlikely. I think Howell is on a two-year leash to see if he can settle in. Personally, I think Howell's shortcoming is that he hasn't been able to coach the secondary as well as he needs to if he is going to retain them as his position group. If he can find that balance, I think he shows promise as a DC.

So, I see the offense as trending better, and the jury is out on whether the defense is going to be worse over the long-term or if Howell can figure it out. If anything, Bronco has demonstrated in the past the willingness to step back in and reassert himself in the defense if he loses confidence in his DC.

I think BYU is improving, and I think it's overreacting to disappointment in seeing a possible, but unlikely undefeated season fall victim to injuries and a struggling DC/secondary coach when people say BYU has flat-lined. I would have agreed with that under the Bronco/Doman heading, but I think it's too early to be calling it quits on the Bronco/Anae/Howell iteration of the Cougars.

I too agree about the O. How can a BYU fan not be happy at least compared to the crap we watched from 2010-2013? We score and almost expect to now.

But the D's performance is all on Bronco. He gave it up to a nobody coach. When Bronco runs the D they are dominant. He didn't want that responsibility anymore and thought Howell was ready. He though Jaime Hill was ready too. So far Bronco is 0-2 on DC's. This was the year to make noise in the nation--regardless of Taysom's health--and he blew it with horrible coaching and staffing decisions.

[hawkwing]

In other words, Derek Stevenson is no different than a poly sportscaster in PA.

[BoiseBYU]

I read the article and I think I lost a few IQ points. Even a broke clock is right twice a day, and when the team is struggling anyone can point out some of the problems. The gates falling. The lights are flashing. But the train ain't coming.

[Gunk]

BYU as a whole is not improving. Just go look at our season records. At this rate we'll be lucky to finish 6 - 6. The offense may be improving, but the defense has regressed so bad it is negating any gains made on offense.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[snoscythe]

Here's some additional insight into Derik Stevenson:

He claims to know what it means to win because he played for Lavell. While he was there and played special teams and some spot back-up play for the 14-1 1996 team, Stevenson was alos there for the 1995, 1997, and 1998 teams, when Lavell went 8-5, 7-4, 6-5, and 9-5 in the WAC and lost in the Liberty and Aloha Bowls. There were embarrassing losses in those seasons as well--Tulane, UNM, UTEP, and Rice.

Point is, Stevenson makes a lot of hay about his qualifications as having played for Lavell, playing for the Cotton Bowl cougars, and playing in the NFL. Turns out, he played for some of Lavell's most mediocre teams at a time when people were calling for Lavell's retirement, he wasn't a meaningful contributer to the 1996 team, the teams he contributed most to were 6-5 and 9-5 (for a 60% winning percentage, yet he gives Bronco a "D-" for a 63% winning percentage since 2010), and his NFL "career" consisted of one preseason with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent where he was cut when the team had to get to a 70 man roster (which means he wasn't even close to the 53 man roster), and then a year keeping the bench warm for the almighty Amsterdam Admirals. He was only in Miami for 3 months, yet he wants everyone to believe he was an NFL linebacker--he's an NFL linebacker like all the other undrafted free agents who never made it to the regular season are NFL linebacker.

That's the thinkg--Stevenson is all about Stevenson. What he does is more about self-promotion and trying to get the radio gig he's been wanting for four years now. He pads his resume with the things that will impress you, but he leaves out the details that you really need to have for real context. He proudly labels himself a Lavell guy to borrow Lavell's resume, but neglects to remind you he was there at the disappointing tail end and never contributed to a great season or a bowl win. He tells you he was in the NFL to borrow that respect, but fails to tell you he couldn't make the second cut, or that in his one year in NFL Europe he never even saw the field--in NFL Europe. He wants you to believe he knows what makes a football team great, but he never had a hand in greatness after high school. In the end, he just wants the radio gig he keeps auditioning for, and he thinks the best way to get that is to rile people up in the tradition of Monson and Kinahan, and he's been doing it by puffing out his chest, acting tough, and telling everyone that disagrees with him that they are sissies and can't touch him because he's a Lavell NFL player. He's been doing it since 2010, and he'll keep doing it as long as he's getting page views.

[Cougs_Rule]

It's surprising, quite frankly why Monson hasn't put some provocative stuff out there since the loss to BSU. It's coming.
Unfortunately DS continues to discredit himself with his rantings. Sounds like a mad forum poster. And, still, he has some valid points between all the angry stuff.

[snoscythe]

And, still, he has some valid points between all the angry stuff.

The hard thing is dealing with people who read a valid point, and then assume/argue the entirety is valid.

[Cougarfan87]

"Derek Stevenson? Never heard of her." -Bronco Mendenhall

[Ddawg]

That's funny.